Bridge: Berkowitz Individual Victor In Cavendish Club Tourney

By ALAN TRUSCOTT

Published: May 14, 1981

If all the New York experts were asked to select the best bidder or the best player from their own ranks, there would be many nominations and no clear-cut winner. But ask them to choose the most adaptable performer, and most of them would select David Berkowitz. He has won many titles with many different partners, but his adaptability credentials stem from the annual Cavendish Club individual tournament.

A year ago, Berkowitz finished second in this event, and this year he did even better. Playing with 35 expert partners in the course of three sessions Monday and Tuesday, he won the title, completing a successful four days. During the weekend, he had finished third with Harold Lilie of Woodmere, L.I., in the invitation pair championship.

On the diagramed deal, from the final session, Berkowitz, as East, had to play some abnormal cards to put his partner on the right track in defense. He had overcalled a one-diamond opening with four spades, and South had tried five hearts, ending the auction. Notice that a slower auction might have allowed North-South to reach five diamonds, which can alway be made with accurate play. Spade Four Is Led

West was Joe Low of New York, and he had no reason to hit on the diamond lead that would have given the defense four tricks. He led the spade four, and now the question was whether the defense would score one diamond ruff to set the contract.

Berkowitz started his defensive campaign by winning the first trick with the ace of spades. The king would have been normal, but he wanted to create the impression that he did not have the other top honor, thus discouraging West from leading the suit again.

East shifted to a club, and his normal play would be the three, suggesting a willingness to have clubs continued. But as Berkowitz was most unwilling to have a club returned, he led the five. South thought about this and made the winning decision by playing low.

West won and drew the right inferences. He shifted to a diamond, giving his partner a ruff to set the contract. East's black-suit plays steered him in the right direction, and there was a practical reason for not continuing clubs. East had had to think about what to do at the second trick, so he had to have the king lacking the queen. With any other club holding, there would have been nothing to think about.